Soul Eater- Liraz!
by XxX-01
Summary: After a strange day, Liraz Grimm finds out she is a weapon and heads off to Death City with her brother to attend DWMA. Normal enough, right? Nope. Liraz isn't normal in the least. When she gets a threatening message, she finds that she can't stay hidden anymore. First Fanfic and i only own my OCs.. I'll post more chapters if I get a review. Summary sucks, but it's a good story.
1. Prologue

_Prologue_

Tired. After an entire night's worth of sleep, I'm still tired. Sighing, I slowly sit up on my bed, and open my eyes to see my little brother – in all his glory – staring me straight in the face, unblinking. After staring at each other, he quickly jumps off the bed, and runs out the door.

Confused, but too tired to care, I walk over to my mirror, stare at my reflection, then walk out the door. As I walk down the hallway, one of my older brothers shoved me with a bottle of shaving cream. "G'morning Liraz," He says. "Mornin'," I respond as I reach the stairs at the end of the hallway.

My other two older brothers – the two oldest, or Tweedledum and Tweedledumber, as I like to call them – stand in the archway that leads to the kitchen. My youngest brother stood, smirking mischievously between them. "Tweedledum. Tweedledumber." I say, greeting them.

"In reality, Liraz, the character's names are Tweedledee and Tweedledum. But, of course you wouldn't know that. You have the brain the size of a squirrel's bladder." Tweedledum says.

"Wait. Who are we talking about now? Isn't that what the principal of the last school you got expelled from told you?" I retort. "Anyway, I'm hungry. Shove it," I say, elbowing my way through them. My youngest brother – Jonathan- had already retreated into the kitchen in case Tweedledum and Tweedledumber's superiority complex made them violent. Last time that happened, I ended up with a black eye and Tweedledum and Tweedledumber ended up with aching balls. They really should wear cups around the house.

Jonathan stares at me through his spot inside one of the low cabinets in the kitchen. Whenever I see him, I always wonder how he got platinum blond hair and black eyes. His hair is so light, that it could easily be compared to white. The day I felt his hair, he was running around the house like a maniac screaming bloody murder as protest to bath time so I decided to do something stupid since I was bored. I positioned myself near the archway the the living room, so that when he would come speeding through, I would jump-tackle him, not unlike how football players tackle their opponents. So, as I tackled him, I grabbed the back of his head with my hands to prevent him from hitting his head too hard. It was fun. But somehow, my mother never seems to be there when these things happen. Should I be concerned? I've been thinking of getting life insurance though; you never know what could happ ;en with four brothers, three of them the huge jock type of guy, two of them out for my life, and one of them that when he accidentally shoves you lightly, he could send you flying to Canada. Figuratively speaking, hopefully.

That's it, I'm asking her for life insurance, and if she refuses, I'm going on strike with Jonathan.

The side door buzzes, and my mother walks through carrying groceries. She smiles, oblivious to the evil of the devil spawn she birthed, and said, "Help with the groceries, please?"

And so, by the end of the seemingly simple chore of dragging groceries from the car, into the house, then into the fridge again (or freezer in some cases), there was one thing that bothered me. Well, it was more like I was thoroughly disturbed with what I saw, and I'm pretty sure you cant exactly miss this. The sun had a face. And the sun looked like a psycho.


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

After that freaky incident with the sun and all, I pretended nothing was different, and nobody acted any different either. I went up to my room, shut my door- and checked every nook and cranny in my room to make sure Jonathan wasn't around to stalk me for Tweedledum and Tweedledumber- then logged onto my computer and looked up the sun. Pictures of the psychotic sun appeared all over the screen, even some pictures of the new moon - which in my opinion was even creepier. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Warily, I opened my eyes to see Jonathan holding a water gun, pointed straight at me. Knowing them, there was definitely no water in the gun, and I wasn't too keen on finding out what the hell the mystery liquid was. "Go away, Jonathan. I'm not in the mood," I said slowly, trying to hide my agitation, and failing miserably. He loaded the gun and put his finger on the trigger.

And he sprayed. And Mother opened the bedroom door and saw Jonathan holding the water gun.

So, Jonathan got a good scolding, and I got a nice, warm shower. Tweedledum and Tweedledumber got bruises and a black eye from another one of their jock fights, and my other brother, Eric, ended up helping Mother with dinner, and Mother still stayed oblivious to the our disastrous potential. And all was well and good until dinner. Until she brought up the subject of school.

Tonights dinner was Soba noodles and chicken with gravy. We were all eating quietly, if you ignore Tweedledum and Tweedledumber's habits of jock-yelling about girls with "hot bods" at their high school. So, eventually I said, "Hey, how would you know what their bodies look like? Don't their clothes have to be off for that? Or did you just put on sexy blond wigs and a Victoria's Secret bra, prance in to the girl's locker room with your hands up like puppy dogs, and pretend to hang there while the girls in another class make use of the locker room?"

Eric snorted, and Jonathan snickered. _That's the most I've heard him in three days..._

"In fact, Liraz, that is _exactly _what they do. How did you guess?" Eric said. He stabbed his fork into the chicken, and I ate my bowl of noodles.

"That's enough." Mother says. "Anyway, it's mid-summer, and there is the impending issue of school.

You three will go to the same school again, because I don't want anyone to think you were expelled again. Please don't get expelled again. It's your last year of high school for Heaven's sake."

Eric interrupts and says, "_They_ are the reason we had to move schools. I did _nothing_. Nada. Zilch. Zero. I'm graduating at the end of the year. They are going to repeat high school until they get a brain the size of a potato."

"_Eric."_ Mother warns. "I was going to say _acorn_ but thats what they already have. And that's an improvement."

"From what?" I ask. "Half an acorn." He responds. "Half an acorn."

"_Anyway_." Mother started. "Jonathan is going to camp soon. Some of the mothers at his kindergarten suggested a camp for Jonathan. They said a lot of his classmates will be there. Isn't that great?"

No one responded. "Sure, Mom." I say. Her face lit up, then faltered for a second. A few minutes later, we stood up and put our dishes in the sink.

Tweedledum and Tweedledumber went out to the basketball court at the nearby park, Eric sat on the sofa and watched TV, and I started up the stairs to my room. "Liraz, could you come here for a moment?" Mom asked. I walked to the kitchen where she stood leaning against the sink. In her hand was an envelope. "Yeah? What did you need?"

"In the mail, I found an envelope addressed to you from the DWMA."

She paused, handing me the envelope. I took it from her hands, gave it a once-over, and carefully ripped it open. Before I could read it, Mom said, "Do you remember the blood test you took last week at your physical?" I nod. "Well, the doctors saw a mutation in your DNA. They sent it to a scientist who works at the school and he said that you have the genetic coding of a weapon."

I glance at the letter, then back at her. "But I feel fine."

"Well, the doctors said that you could turn into a weapon anytime now. They suggested going to DWMA to learn how to..."

"I get it." I lean against the counter. "When do I go?"

I closed the door behind me, and turned around. Jonathan sat patiently on the center of my bed. "Hey." I nod to him. He nods back. He's cute, but in a creepy way. I sit down next to him. "I'm leaving for school, Jonathan. Although, I guess you already know. Stalker tendencies and all."

He doesn't respond, just looks at me. He lifts his hand. I raise my eyebrow, curious. He pokes my cheek. And crawls out the open window beside my bed. "Goodnight Jonathan!" I yell out the window.

"Weird little guy."


	3. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

"Wake up. Hey, Liraz. Wake the hell up, Liraz." I smack away the hand that was incessantly poking my cheek, and open my eyes. "Good morning, Liraz." Eric says with a smug grin. Mother stood behind him, hands on her hips, her usual "let's get to it!" smile on her face. "You have a plane to catch, Liraz. Go take a shower, and finish packing up whatever you need. And don't forget to say goodbye to your brothers. Don't you _dare_ just run out the door screaming "freedom!". The neighbors weren't pleased when you did it the first time, and they won't be the second time. Eric, could you start the shower for Liraz?" He nods, and walks out of my bedroom.

Mom sits down on my bed and says, "I have a present for you. I think you'll like it. You'll be in Death City for your birthday, so I took the liberty of buying your gift early." I smile as she hands me a small black box with an opaque white ribbon tied around it. I open the box and pull out a ring. "It's made of silver, onyx, and purple tanzanite. I also got you a silver and gold chain if you want to wear it as a necklace." My mouth drops. "Mom..." She smiles. "Yes?"

"Where in hell did you get the money for this?"

After taking a shower and getting dressed, I slipped on the ring. It fit perfectly, so I wasn't too worried about losing it.

I walked downstairs holding my suitcase and bags, put on my shoes, and waited for the rest of my family. As Eric, Tweedledum, Tweedledumber and Jonathan were putting on their shoes ( Mom was helping Jonathan), I said, "Mom, what class am I going to be in again? Where am I going to stay? And how am I supposed to get money?"

"They give you allowances and dorms, but classes are still up for negotiation. There are two types of classes: EAT and NOT. I would prefer if you were in NOT because they are the least violent type of class. And 90% of the school is in NOT, so there would be more Meister choices... you know what a Meister is, right?"

"I studied the school all night, Mom. I even toured the grounds on Google Maps. But, I don't exactly want to be in NOT. I get into fights a lot, and I have four brothers who are out to get me in some way or another. Jonathan has criminal tendencies for god's sake. I know how to fight, I have a background in kick boxing. Plus, I can take a hit, and hit back harder. Remember Tweedledumber's black eye when I was nine years old and he was thirteen? He was a huge guy even back then, you know."

"Yes, I know. And stop calling them that. It's Ace and Kyle."

_Tweedledum and Tweedledumber. Pity "Ace" is such a freaking awesome name._

"Well, I don't want you to be in EAT. It's too dangerous."

"Mom. I _live_ with a bunch of freaky strong brothers. I'm the only girl! And, Jonathan knows how to climb out the window." Jonathan lifts his head up and puts a finger to his lips. "See!" I say, pointing to Jonathan who pretends to act casual. I groan. "I'll feel humiliated if I make friends with a bunch of cowards. Not that everyone in NOT is a coward. But, smaller class, bigger smile. Not that I'll smile too much, but that's besides the point."

Eric interrupted, "Aw, but Liraz. I love seeing you smile. It's so pretty and feminine, don't you agree Tweedledum? Tweedledumber?"

I give him the finger. "Liraz!" Mother exclaims hand over her heart. Eric says, "Trust me Mom, if anyone is fit enough mentally and physically to be in tough, it's Liraz. Have you ever seen her run from paintballs? She runs like the devil himself is chasing her!"

"See?" I say, agreeing with Eric. "And then she climbed a tree in record time! I was like, "damn...that girl knows how to flee." I glare at him. "What? It could be useful."

"No duh, Eric."

Mom says, "Look at the time, we need to go. To the car! Go, go go!"

Halfway there, Mom says, "Oh, I bought a second ticket since I don't want you to go alone. You're too young. Eric will be going and staying with you for a while."

"Ah, come on! Damn it!" I say, moaning, and falling down in my seat. Eric smirks. "We're going to have a lot of fun together, Liraz." I mutter a string of obscenities in Arabic. "Would you like to voice out what you just said in English, honey?" Mother asks. "I don't want to get arrested." I respond. "Should I speak Russian instead?"

"Just make sure none of your teachers hear you curse like that. They might know what you're saying. _I_ already gave up on you, honey."

_Already happened. Maybe I should have told her? Nah, it's better if she never finds out..._

Eric gives me a knowing smirk. I wink, and he turns around abruptly.

A few minutes later, we stopped at the airport. Eric took his bags from the trunk, and offered to take mine out too. I agreed. After our goodbyes, which Tweedledum and Tweedledumber reluctantly said with an awkward pat to the head, I said to them, "When I come back, I want to see Jonathan fluent in the art of stalking. Okay?" They nodded with a small smirk.

I walked over to Jonathan, and knelt down to his level. I held up my fist, and he held up his. "Fist bump, little bro." And so he fist bumped me. I pat his head, stood up, and walked to where Eric was waiting. They stood outside, watching us as we entered the airport.

"Can I scream 'freedom' now?" I ask Eric. "Not just yet, Liraz. Not just yet."

And so we went.

"Oh, Mom told me to tell you that since I'm coming, you have the choice of living in an apartment or dorms. If you choose the dorms, I could sleep in a hotel. I won't mind."

"Apartment. I kind of want to live in my own apartment..."


	4. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

"Please put on your seat belts, we are about about to land in Death City, Nevada."

I glance at Eric. He opens one eye and lifts an eyebrow. I turn away and look out the window. "We're about to land. Put on your seat belt." He grumbles something, and puts on his seatbelt. The flight attendants pass by checking for any garbage or for any loose suitcase cabinets. What are they even called?

After a while, we landed and got our suitcases and bags from the conveyor belt. We exited the airport, and set foot into Death City. "Wow. Never thought there were sane people out there that actually would willingly live in a place dedicated to Death itself." I say. "If you're talking about us, we aren't sane. My friends look at me weird when I told them of when Jonathan danced around in one of your bras or when you climbed up that tree when we were firing paint balls at you." Eric says with a grin.

_Jonathan has one of my bras? I knew I was missing one...those bastards._

"Hey Eric, you know what else is going to become a paint ball?"

He paled visibly. "Later on, call Jonathan to return my bra to it's respected place-my drawer- and remind me to kick you in the balls. You know, what? Just so I don't forget to torture you, I'm going to write it in my phone." I take out my phone, click on the reminders app, and write "Kick Eric in Balls".

So, Eric called Mother to tell her we got to Death City safely, and that I decided that I wanted an apartment. She told us that DWMA would talk to a real estate agent, and we should tour the city while we waited. "I'm going to give them your number, Liraz, so they could call you when everything is set up and you could start looking for an apartment." So, after that she told me to pick up the phone even if it's a number I don't recognize.

After around an hour of touring the city, Eric and I were sitting in a Deathbucks Cafe, and I got a call on my phone. I pick up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello. Everything is set up. You don't have to worry about payment or anything like that. You're mother already took care of that. I'll show you apartments that will fit your mother's budget. Where would you like to meet?"

"I'm at a Deathbucks Cafe..."

"Oh, perfect. That's nearby. We will meet shortly."

"Uh, yeah..."

And she hung up.

"Finish eating, she's nearby." I say to Eric.

Five to ten minutes later, she walked into Deathbucks, all crisp and perfect in her suit. She sat down in front of us. (I moved next to Eric, albeit reluctantly, so it wouldn't seem awkward for any of us. Well, mostly for her, I guess. She said, "I have a few apartments I would like to show you, but do you have any preferences?"

"Yeah. I would prefer it to be near DWMA. Just in case I'm running late and all. And it should have at _least_ two or three bedrooms and at _least_ two bathrooms." Oh, household appliances should be already installed, and working just fine."

"Perfect." She responds, her fake smile still in place. Eric and I both noticed and glanced at each other.

The first apartment was painted black and the interior was too... gloomy. Regardless of black being my favorite color, I didn't like the house much at all, and neither did Eric.

The second was painted blue and the roof was purple. It wasn't too bad, but it didn't exactly click. It was a bit shabby, but nothing we couldn't fix easily.

The third one made Eric's and my jaw drop. It was modern, and looked nice in the interior also. It had light walls, red sofas and round chairs, a nice small coffee table with a gray rug underneath, hardwood floors, a modern staircase leading upstairs, and a white, oddly shaped ceiling. The ceiling let you see a fair portion of the second floor and when the stairs ended. The floor upstairs consisted of four bedrooms, and a bathroom in the center of the wall (the floor was wide and circular).

Eric and I glanced at each other. "We'll take it." We said unanimously. "Perfect. I will contact your mother to let her know." She smiled again. "Hey, miss."

"Yes?"

"If you don't mind, we would like to be here when you seal the deal. Just in _case_." I say, smiling and looking her in the eye. She visibly tensed and took out her phone. Eric and I mimic her smile.

"_Perfect."_

Eric and I leaned against the wall, my arms crossed, him doing something on his phone. I listened to the real estate woman- Jessica, apparently- talking to my mother about the apartment. For all the hell Jonathan put me through, I kind of missed him. His hair is _so damn soft_. His fluffy cheeks helps his charm. I remember when he was sitting on my lap before he starting working for Tweedledum and Tweedledumber, and I was pressing my hands onto his cheeks, making them bigger. And he just looked at me with those black eyes like, _who the hell do you think you are fluffing my freaking cheeks up. Those are mine, strange woman. Those are _mine.

I laugh a bit.

Jessica shut her phone, and turned to face us. "It's all yours. Enjoy your new apartment." And with that, she walked out.

Eric put his phone in his jean pocket. "Lets choose a room and unpack."


	5. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

The room I chose had walls made of black marble , a white rug under my bed, white drawers, and a polished black hardwood floor. There was a balcony behind gray curtains that gave me a pretty view of a good portion of the city. What I was most excited about was the bed. It was round, and hung from the roof, and a thin white curtain surrounded it. I threw the curtains leading to the balcony open, letting sunlight in.

After unpacking, I walked out of the room, grinning. Eric also came out grinning like an idiot. "We live like kings now." He says. "Yes, although I'll enjoy it more once you pack up and leave."

"Ha, ha. Happy time's over. I told the Tweedle twins I would torture you for them."

"Screw you, Eric. You prefer me over them, because I could easily find some way to get you to not torture me. But, listen. During school, do _not_ make me look bad. I have dirt on you, so if you trash my homework or books or make me look bad in front of people, _everyone_ will know the dirt I have on you. I could even send you to prison. So, don't even try."

He sighs. "Don't you think it's a bit weird how Mom doesn't even know what we do? I mean, we are geniuses when it comes to getting what we want. We know how to pull strings, and _what_ strings to pull."

"Yeah, but we only commit _minor_ crimes. Nothing _too_ bad. It's all for the better good. Unless it's Tweedledum and Tweedledumber out to get me. And Jonathan. He's insane. He's an escape artist, and amazing at stalking and gathering info."

"Ace and Kyle's strong suits are using what they know to formulate a perfect plan to surround and intercept a target. My strong suit is negotiation and interrogation. Your strong suit, Liraz, is gathering intelligence on your targets, blackmail, manipulation, and imagining every outcome of a situation. You're a con artist, Liraz. You can improvise very well."

"And you can't? You can talk your way out of almost everything. You can seem like an ally, then become a deadly enemy in a second. Tweedledum and Tweedledumber act stupid, and think stupidly, but they somehow have above average intelligence." I respond.

"We all do, Liraz."

I look at the time on my phone. Its 18:30 Eric. "We should go out to eat; there's nothing in the fridge. Oh, that reminds me. I want to buy a new scooter. I left it at home 'cause it's old and too small."

"We can stop to buy the scooter after dinner. I have money on me." Eric responds.

Locking the door behind us, we walked in silence, his hands in his jean pockets, my arms crossed. On the way to the restaurant, we passed by a man with a screw sticking out of his head. Eric didn't notice and kept walking, while I stopped and stared at him. Eric stops walking, and sees me staring, unblinking at the man. By now, he had noticed my staring, and was staring back at me. "Do you need something?" He says.

"You have a screw...through your head."

"I'm aware..."

I take out my phone. "You see, I have a seven year old brother, and he's a real nut job, so, if you don't mind... could I take a picture of... you?"

Eric reaches us, and says, "I'm sorry, she's a bit...psycho...so...bye." He grabs my arm, and pulls me away, lecturing me about talking to strangers with screws sticking out of their brain.

I kept looking behind me, and the man stood watching us, until we walked into the restaurant.

We take a seat in one of the booths in the back, as a habit. We like to be able to see everyone in the restaurant. Just in case, as per usual. After ordering our dinner, I looked around. The restaurant was dimly lit with red brick walls, a bar with a marble counter in the center. A few tables ahead, a group of guys were talking loudly (jock-yelling?) about moving up to the EAT class.

_So these are DWMA students..._

One of them caught me staring at them, and said "Forget about him, come over here!" He nodded his head towards Eric. Eric raised an eyebrow-he does it so well- and glanced at me.

I said, "You sure? I mean, he's paying and all, so it would be rude..." I feigned naiveté. Inwardly, I smirked.

Eric saw this and played along. "Oh, come on, Liraz! I treat you to dinner, and you go off with a bunch of strangers? He shook his head, melodramatically.

Over the sound of chatter in the restaurant, the door chimed and in came a man with a screw sticking out of his head. By now, a few people started to watch us, curious as to what I'll do next. And so he decided to stay and watch also. Accompanying him was a woman with orange hair.

I act nervous, pretended to just notice the stares. "But, they're being so nice..."

Eric stands up, and slams his hands on the table. "Fine! Eat with a bunch of good-for-nothing strangers! I'm not dealing with this. _Good_bye."

I walk over to their table and take a seat next to them. The one nearest to me puts his arm around my shoulders. Inwardly, I puke. Outwardly, I pretend to be oblivious.

"See, Hun? You don't need that guy. You've got us. We'll show you a good time."

_If I puked before, I'm coughing up my intestines now._ _And, not only is that disgusting, that is dangerous and extremely painful._

The arm around my shoulder, tightens, and I'm pressed against his side. "Who did that guy think he was?" Another guy said. Mumbles of assent and nods passed through the group.

"Right...what was your name again?" He asked.

"Liraz. Liraz Grimm."

"And who was that freak you were dating?" Some other guy spat out.

"Eric Grimm."

"That was my older brother."

They choked. "Your _brother?_" They repeated. "I thought that was you're boyfriend!" The guy with his arm around me said. "I never said that. You were too stupid to notice that I didn't say anything about who he is. And, by the way, he's just around the corner waiting for our order. He already told a waiter on the way. "And" I push the arm off me, and hold it up high in a weak grip as he struggles to lower it. "Stop touching me, or I'll charge you with sexual harassment."

Now that they were thoroughly irked at my sudden change in behavior, I said, "With whatever pride you have left, which I'm sure isn't much, why don't you leave? You're annoying the customers." I drop the arm hard onto the table and stand up to walk back to our table, and Eric walks around the corner, smirking. He looks at the gaping group of guys and mock salutes them. In a daze, they hurriedly leave the restaurant. Eric and I stand in front of our table, and bow unanimously as if we were actors who just finished a performance on Broadway.

And so we ate our dinner, and savored every bite of it.

"You're still buying me a scooter."


	6. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

After searching around the city, we finally reached a place where Eric could buy me a scooter. Right outside the shop, a guy with white hair and red eyes was arguing with a girl with her blond hair up in pigtails. Stepping around them, we walked into the shop. All types of scooters and bicycles were lined up on the walls. "Welcome to the store. Looking for anything specific?" A man with short, gelled black hair asked. "Right now we're just looking. Do you have any for people her size?" Eric responds, pointing down at my head. _I'm too short..._

I walk over to a black scooter. "Eric. This one." I point to the scooter. "How much does it cost?" He asks, sighing. He pulls out his wallet and walks to the cashier. I let Eric deal with payments, and check the time on my phone. "Liraz, get a helmet." I glance at him, and walk over to a section in the back. I pick up a plain black helmet and check to see if it fits.

"Here." He takes the helmet from my hands, and hands it over to the cashier. We leave the store, but I stop outside. I take the bag from Eric, put on the helmet, and get on the scooter. "Race you home." I say. I don't wait for a response, and take off towards the apartment. "Liraz! Wait, Liraz!"

We stood outside the apartment, me leaning against it, and Eric, bending down, hands on his knees. "Worked you to hard, huh?" I say. He looks up at me. "I'm going to take a shower. And you are going to pay. Don't even think about getting used to the comfort of only having one brother to deal with. I've conspired enough with them to formulate my revenge in the span of at _least_ three seconds." He coughs, and stands up straight. "Watch your back, Liraz."

He walks inside the house while I glare at his back. "I'll be waiting."

I turn around to find a place to put my scooter and see a guy with black hair-three white stripes on the right side- and yellow eyes staring at me. I stare back. He crosses the street and stands in front of me. He lifts his hand and... fixes my hair. I grab his hand. "Hey...there. Slow down. Who the hell are you and _why_ are you playing with my hair?"

"I am not _playing_ with it, I am making it symmetrical." He responds. He continues fixing my hair. "Please stop touching me."

"I'm almost done."

"_Please_ stop touching me."

"I'm done."

"Thank you?"

"You're welcome." He paused. "Are you new to the city? I haven't seen you around before..."

I nod. I'm going to DWMA. The doctors found out that I have the genetic coding of a weapon, so they suggested I go here. My brother came with me, but he's inside," I respond, pointing behind me to the house.

"What class are you in? When are you starting?"

"I don't know whether or not I'll be in EAT or NOT, although I'm hoping my mother will let me be in EAT. Plus, I already met some students in the NOT class at a restaurant. I would prefer to be as far away from them as I could get now. And, as for when I'm starting...maybe Monday next week?" I tap my chin. "It depends on what my mom says though."

I take my phone out of my pocket. No missed calls. Perfect.

The strange boy nods. "What's your name?"

"Liraz Grimm. Yours?

"Death the Kid. Nice to meet you."

I sat on the sofa, watching the news. Eric walked down the staircase, rubbing his hair vigorously with a towel. "You know, if you rub that towel too hard, you'll pull you're hair out. And I don't want to be related to a 16 year old with bald spots." I tell him not bothering to look away from the TV. He glares at me. "Shut it, Cardboard."

I jump on him, pound my fists on his back and pull his hair. After a few minutes of his struggling-and maybe some blood- he throws me off his back and onto the sofa. He takes a seat in the round chair. "What's on the news?"

"Nothing really. Shitty economy. Border issues and whatnot. Nothing we don't already know."

"Okay."

I get up from the sofa. "I'm tired. Going to sleep now. Goodnight. Wake me up in the middle of the night,and I'll have your head in a jar on my new bookshelf."

"Night."


	7. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

A few days had passed, and nothing interesting has happened. I've been so bored, I considered shaving Eric's hair off. But, then I remembered that I wouldn't want to have an ugly brother. No, I don't think he is ugly at all. In fact, on Valentine's Day he locked himself in his room so none of the hormonal girls from his school could get to him. I took the liberty of whacking the girl's who just wouldn't quit with a broom. I do him an amazing favor, and he conspires against me. I'm just glad he didn't wake up in the middle of the night to see me standing over him, with his electric razor in hand.

And, by now it was Sunday, and Mother and I were on the phone discussing whether or not I will be in the EAT class. "Please."

"That's not going to work. You're my child, Liraz. My only daughter. I don't want you putting yourself in danger!"

"Mom. Listen to me. Please. Every day, I'm in danger. Didn't you hear when Eric told you of the time I climbed up a tree to escape Tweedledum and Tweedledumber's paint guns? And when Jonathan squirted me with what I'm convinced was piss?"

She was silent. "Mom? You still there?"

"Fine. Fine. I'll let you in the EAT class. Just don't go around picking fights. Don't get hurt. If you lose a limb-god forbid- I will remove you from the school, and we'll live together again." She sniffs, then sighs. "I wish you would stop blaming your brothers for things they could never do. My dear Jonathan would never squirt piss at you."

"You were _there._"

She sighs again, and I shake my head. "Whatever. You're going to contact them, right? Remember, EAT."

Eric and I were eating at Deathbucks again. I sipped at my caramel frappucino, and he dug into his pasta. The door chimed, and in came one of the guys from the restaurant. In fact, it was the guy who had his arm around me. I noticed it was now in a brace. He saw me, and I wiggled my fingers. _Hello..._

He visibly paled, and ran out the door, clutching his arm. Eric raised his eyebrow. I shrugged in response. "So... you're going to start school tomorrow, huh?" Eric said. I nod. "Mom agreed to put me in EAT. Plus, I already met an EAT student. Strange guy, but very kind. He made my hair symmetrical." He nodded slowly. "Probably OCD."

"Seemed like it."

"Anyway, it's getting late. You should set up a curfew just in case or something..." He trailed off, embarrassed. "Aw, is my older brother getting soft and mushy? What about that prank, huh?" I tease, smirking. "Just you wait. Don't think I've forgotten. I had a longer lifetime to learn the art of pranks."

By the time we got home, it was almost completely dark, and through the balcony doors, I watched the sky grow darker and darker...


	8. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

I wake up to Eric's incessant cheek-poking. Smacking his hand away, I quickly take a shower, and get dressed. I run down the stairs, and put on my shoes. Eric hands me my helmet and a brown bag. "It's food, just in case." He said. I slip on my helmet, and run out the door. I put my foot onto the scooter, kick off the ground, and ride my way to DWMA.

As I near the famously long stairs, I press the brake on the scooter,and jump off. I take off my helmet and place it on one of the handles. My eyes widen as I take in the length of the stairs. _This should be nothing compared to the miles I've ran away from the Tweedle twins. _I look up the stairs. _I can't even see the damn school_.

Can't be late for class, can I? I step onto the stairs.

And run up it like my life depended on it.

The school came into view. It was even more beautiful than the pictures on Google Maps, and had a real nice view of Death City. Another thing I noticed was that the school was symmetrical. I shrugged, and walked into the building. I was given a schedule, and a basic layout of the school. I walked around looking for class Crescent Moon. _Strange names for strange schools, I guess._ I looked at the sign, making sure I was in the right place. I open the door.

"Oh, and there she is." A man with a screw sticking out of his head said. He was smoking a cigarette, and next to him was a caged animal. I raised my eyebrow, and walked in. "This is Liraz Grimm. She will be joining this class." He glanced at me. "You're that guy..."

"Quite a show you put on at the restaurant." He says. "Yeah..." I nod. "Where do I sit?" I ask, conscious of all the stares. "Over there. In between the boy with white hair and the boy with black hair." He responds, pointing to Death the Kid and the same guy I saw arguing with the girl sitting besides him at the scooter shop.

I stood in the mostly empty hallway and held up the brown bag to my face.. I leaned away from it as I slowly opened it. "What are you doing?" A voice said behind me. I quickly close the bag and turn to face the person behind me. It was the guy with white hair who sat next to me in class. What was his name again? "Nothing. My brother gave it to me, so it was probably rigged." Just then, the girl with pigtails- Maka?- came and stood next to...Soul. That sounds right. "Hi, I'm Maka." She says, smiling. She holds out her hand. I shake her hand. "Liraz."

The bell rang. We were right outside the classroom, so we didn't have to run to get to class. I was thinking about the strange bell when I realized I hadn't opened my lunch. So, it was now or never. I bent my knees and shrank away from the bag as I opened it. Nothing happened. I ignored the strange look Maka gave me as I looked inside the bag. If I couldn't eat fast enough, I could drink. I took out the juice box, and poked the straw through the hole.

And it burst.


	9. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8_

"Why are you wet?" Professor Stein asked as I walked in. I remembered my mother telling me not to curse, or threaten, or do anything that would get me in trouble with a teacher, so I ignored him.

"Juice?" Kid asks when I sit down. "He's dead. He's deader than dead." I mutter. Kid heard and wisely decided to drop it. I pretend to not notice the stares. All of a sudden, a boy with spiky blue hair jumped in front of the class. "Pay attention to ME, your god! Not her!" He points at me. Professor Stein sighs. I look around the classroom and say, "You heard that? Not me, _him_. _Stare_. Stare at the vibrant blue hair." I point to him. "See? She gets it. Thank you, my loyal follower!"

"Oh, slow down there, Blueberry. I'm not _anyone's _loyal follower." He justs laughs. I cup my face in my hand and glare. "Anyway, you're disturbing Professor Stein's class. He was saying something, then _you_ popped up. Literally." And with a glare, he went back to his seat.

We were outside on the training field. I shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. The juice had finally dried up, but now I was sticky, and pissed off at Eric. I tried to pay attention to the fight in front of me, but the longer I stood, the more anxious I was to go back to the apartment and get my revenge. It wasn't normal for me to wait so long to prank back my brothers. So, I decided to leave after this period, whether or not I am allowed to do so. After the fight, Professor Stein stood in front of us. "Liraz, have you ever turned into a weapon before?"

"No." I answer. "I thought so. You and Black Star. Fight."

Maka speaks up. "Professor, isn't that a bit unfair to Liraz? She doesn't even have a meister yet."

"I'll be fine. I have four brothers. I know how to fight." I turn back to Professor Stein. "I have a question. Lets say I'm not able to transform into a weapon. Can I use a knife or two I may or may not currently have on me?"

"No. Try to transform into a weapon during this battle. And while we're on the topic of weapons, hand over the knives." Professor Stein responds. I sigh, and reach into both my jacket sleeves, and pull out a pair of short knives. I reach into my boots and take out two knives for each pair of shoes. In the corner of eye, I see Maka's eyebrows shoot up. I hand the knives over to Professor Stein's waiting hands, and hold my hands up in surrender. "All of them." He says. I roll my eyes, and pull out two knives from my over-the-knees. I unsheathe the knife from under my shirt, and hand all three knives to him. "The sheath too." I hand the sheathe over to him. "No more. Honest," I say. "Start the fight."

I turn to Black Star. He runs at me, his hand in a fist, gaining momentum. He goes for the punch, but I duck, and sweep kick him. He jumps over my foot. I jump up onto my feet again. "Not bad," He says. I shrug. "Could've done better," I say. "So could you." He smirks. "I'm just warming up!" I run to him, feigning a punch, and aim a kick for right above his knee. He falls for the trick, and jumps back in time, only getting half the intended force of my kick. As, he stands up, I grab his upper body, and knee kick him. He punches back, and I try not lose my grip. Unfortunately, I do, and he takes advantage of the opportunity to side kick me in the gut, sending me flying backwards. I land with a thud. I clench my teeth, and get up. I put my hand to my head, and stare at it. _Blood._

"You're _dead,_ Blackstar!" I yell, and start running to him. I clench my hand into a fist, and charge towards him. He does the same. _I have him now...almost...almost...NOW..._

When he closes in on me, I drop my weight and fall. I lift myself with my hands, curl my lower body in towards myself, then land a painfully perfect kick to his upper knee. His leg gives up, and he falls on me. He punches my face. I manage to get one of my legs free, and I kick him in the gut. He coughs. I push off, and he rolls to the side. He coughs again, and holds his stomach.

"Congratulations. You transformed into a weapon." Professor Stein says as he checks Black Star's wound. I take a glance at my leg. _A scythe blade._ And before I could get a closer look at it, my leg returns to... well, a leg.

"Who won?" I ask, leaning against a nearby tree. "It was a tie," Professor Stein responds. "You fought really well. Where did you learn to fight like that?" Maka asks from behind me. Next to her are Soul, Death the Kid, a pair of girls I've seen with Kid, and a girl with long black hair up in a ponytail. "Four brothers." I say. Maka holds out her hand. I take it, and she helps me up. "You're brothers all know how to fight? And what was with those knives?" Soul asks. "For the question about my brothers, sort of. They're all a bit odd. And for the knives, it was a birthday present." They all give me a strange look. "From my brother, Eric. He's in Death City, by the way. That reminds me." I look at the time on my phone just as the bell rings. "Do you need to go to the nurse, Liraz? You're pretty banged up." Professor Stein says. "I'm fine," I respond. I turn around to walk back home. "Class is the other way," He says. "I'm going home. I need a shower, and a change of clothes." I say, pointing to the grape juice stains. Before he could say anything else, I run towards the long stairs of DWMA.

I jumped off the scooter a little less than a block away from the apartment. I checked my phone for any messages. _He said he would go grocery shopping today. Just not _when_ he would go._

I walked along the block opposite the apartment. I already bought whatever I needed for my plan before I got here, so the only hard part was crossing the street, and not causing suspicion from the neighbors, or Eric if he was home. I knew that if my plan failed, I could get arrested. But, truth be told, I was used to the nervous exhilaration of my plans. So, I currently stood behind a tree, trying to get a good view of the house with my phone. I zoom in, trying to see through the windows. (I tweaked my phone so that I had an amazing camera perfect for occasions like this). _Nothing._ I was in the clear for now. It was now or never. I scouted out the area quickly, then ran towards the side of the house. I pressed my back against it, and waited. I took out my phone, and used the camera to see through the window above me on the second floor. Clear. I did the same with the next window, then went to the edge of the apartment, and looked behind it. Still nothing. So, for every window I passed, I was careful to check the windows. And even though I saw nothing, I was still careful to not make a noise. I approached the back door cautiously, and looked through the peephole. The house was clear and the lights were off. There were no shadows that I could trace to him or the TV if it was on. The house was empty. I had left the bag that I bought the equipment with my scooter, so I was carrying everything I needed. When Professor Stein was talking to me, I had stolen one of my knives from his lab coat pocket. I set the equipment on the ground, picked up the bobby pins I had bought, and started picking the lock on the door. Soon enough, it opened. I picked up the equipment, and got to work.

And I was back at DWMA as soon as the bell rang. I spent the rest of the day with a smug smirk on my face, eagerly waiting to watch the footage of my prank on the tiny cameras I installed around the house.


	10. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9_

And somehow, for some reason I still don't know, I ended up walking home with Maka, Soul, Kid, Liz, Patty, Tsubaki, and Black Star in tow. "We're here," I say, standing in front of the apartment. _God, protect me, please. _I open the door. Eric stands in the doorway. "Hey..." I point to the group standing behind me. "Give us a moment," Eric grabs my arm, and shuts the door. "A KNIFE? YOU ALMOST CUT MY HEAD IN HALF! AND WHAT THE HELL WAS WITH ALL THE RANDOM FLYING OBJECTS? WAS THE FLYING TOASTER REALLY NECESSARY?" He glares at me. "How the hell do you rig a toaster so well?" I yawn. "Done? Good." I turn around and open the door.

We were sitting in the living room. Everyone was silent, aside from Patty. So, I decided to start up a conversation on what she seemed to like best: giraffes.

"You like giraffes, huh?" She nods and giggles, strangling the paper giraffe in her hands. (Apparently it was her test paper.) I soon realize that this conversation is going nowhere, so I decide to start on dinner. As I get up, Maka says, "You have a very big apartment." I nod and give her a small smile. "The real estate agent was a bimbo, and we negotiated and got this apartment. I'm very proud of it. I'll have to thank my Mother," I respond. "When you kicked Black Star's knee...wasn't that an illegal knee kick?" Tsubaki asks. "I'm making soba noodles," I say quickly, and speed-walk to the kitchen. Eric stands over a large pot, holding a ladle filled with a mystery liquid. He stops, and stares at me. I stare back. "What are you making?" I ask cautiously. He was wearing a yellow apron, and protective goggles. The liquid in the ladle was bubbling, and smoke was coming out of the pot.

I return to the living room. "We're eating out. The kitchen's contaminated. I need to call the health department before I allow any guests- or anyone, for that matter- to walk into the kitchen. Anyway, how are your injuries, Black Star?"

He laughs and says, "I'm fine. Nothing you could do could've ever hurt a transcendental being such as I!" He points his thumb towards his chest.

"I mean, I saw you coughing...and stuff...so..." He waves me off. "Like I said, that couldn't have hurt me too bad. It was just a small cut and the punches combined." I raise an eyebrow. "What do you mean by 'small cut'?"

"Your blade is sharp, but not as sharp as it _could_ be."

"How sharp could it be? I mean, my knife is sharp, but it's not sharp _enough_?" I ask, crossing my arms. "Think of a dull blade," He says.

By now, it was starting to get dark. They left, and Eric and I were finally alone.

I sat at the table with Eric, eating the soup he made. Apparently, what I thought was poison ended up being a delicious soup. Though, I didn't know what kind.

"You made a lot of friends, huh?" He says. I nod and swallow a spoonful of soup. "Anything on the news?" I ask. He shakes his head. "Only a matter of time, right?" Eric doesn't respond. "Maybe we should call Ace and Kyle. They might have heard something." He sighs, and runs his hands through his hair. His hair was dyed a natural brown with blond highlights. His natural hair color was a beautiful black. Though I would never admit it, I was jealous of his hair. His natural eye color was a brown so light, it looked golden. Now, he wore contacts that made his eyes look a boring shade of brown. He noticed my staring and said," After all of this is over, we can walk without looking behind our backs. And we won't have to wear these stupid disguises anymore." He stands up. "I'm going to take out my contacts. You should take your's out too. The brown is an insult."

I take out my phone, and stare at my reflection through the camera. I take off the hat I've made into a habit of wearing, and my newly red hair falls in loose curls down my back. I turn my head to look outside the window. I trace a shadow to behind a tree. I panic inwardly, and quickly shove my hair under my hat, and pull the curtain down.

"Eric!" I yell. "What?" He yells back. "I'm going outside! I think someone's watching me!"

He runs down the stairs. "The hell? I'm coming." He pulls the knife out from the wall above the door that I rigged to prank him, and I take a cleaver from the kitchen. One minute later, Eric was intercepting the owner of the shadow from the front door (the right side) and I was intercepting them on the left (the back door). We crouched beneath some shrubbery, and slowly inched closer. As we got within seeing range behind the tree, the shadow disappeared. We sat there for a while, listening for any footsteps. And after that, we went back into the house, shut all the curtains, and called Ace and Kyle.

"What did they say?" I ask as Eric hangs up. We were sitting in the living room and Eric looked increasingly distressed as he talked with the Tweedle twins on the phone. "They said that the police aren't any closer to identifying us, but you know how one of the Gang's member's father works high up in the government?" I nod. "Ace and Kyle had a little run in with them the other day, and they suspect that that member is pulling some strings with his father. Also, another one of the members of the Gang is in Death City right now. And he is attending DWMA."


	11. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10_

It was Tuesday morning. My second day at DWMA. "I have to avoid making friends at school." I thought out loud as I strapped the knife to my thigh. I finished getting dressed, and shoved my dyed red hair into my hat. I picked up my make-up kit, and painted light freckles on my cheeks. Today I would make it my mission to retrieve the knives that Professor Stein took from me.

And, so I pushed my foot off the ground, and sped towards DWMA.

During the ride, I looked around me for any suspicious figures. During classes, and in the hallways, I looked around me for that Gang member. To them, we were the Grimms. To us, they were just the Gang. Ace, Kyle and Eric were the first to meet them. At the time, I was too young, and still in training. Ace and Kyle, being the oldest, taught Eric everything they know. They taught him how to escape tight situations, how to stalk targets, how to manipulate and negotiate, and how to blackmail and steal to get what he wants. All without ever getting caught. And, when the youngest sibling reaches their tenth birthday, they are allowed to come on real missions. This is celebrated by the children of our family. Our mother never knew about this, and all of us aren't too keen about her finding out. So, we committed minor crimes, and set up traps, and for every necessary and unintentional damage we caused, we paid for. But, not the Gang. They knew this, so they would frame us, and we would be forced to pay for the damage. Ace, Kyle, and Eric had part-time jobs over the years and when they pooled all their saved up money, they were able to eventually pay. (I pooled in my tooth fairy money). Ace and Kyle one day had an idea. They had gotten friendly with a group of architects who occasionally bought illegal contraband from Ace. They asked the architects to build them a space in an underground sewer. And they agreed to it. None of us had to pay because of Ace's kind services to them. Soon enough, it was done. And, though I was reluctant to step inside a sewer, I did anyway. All of us-except Jonathan, he was at a play date- walked through the sewers, following a list of directions handed to Ace from the architects. We took a turn, and were face-to-face with a stone wall. I let out a string of curses in Arabic. Ace looks up from the note of directions, and presses his hand against one of the stones on the left, and pushed. The stone moved. After pushing in some other stones, the wall opened up, leading them into a clearing. The floor and walls were all stone, and there was artificial light shining from the four lights on each corner of the room. Months later, various computers and PCs were set up on the farthest wall. Eric had bought me a professional makeup kit that got me starting on learning how to disguise myself to help with missions. Whenever we spent time in the sewers, we kept the TV on the news. Our missions would come from stories on the local news channel. If there was a wrongdoing in town, Ace, Kyle, Eric, and I would come up with a plan to fix that. But, in order to do that, we needed to break some laws. Our rivalry with the Gang was beginning to escalate by the time I was eleven years old. I had only been on one mission, but that was to hack into the computers controlling the public cameras in the area where my brothers would go stalk and intercept a the man who stole a woman's wallet. My second mission, when I was twelve years old, was a bit more exciting. And this time, I was the one to intercept the target. Eric was the one who originally stalked this target and gathered information on him. This guy was known to rob jewelry stores and whatnot, then sell it on the black market. Kyle hacked into his client's email telling him that I would meet him, buy something, then exchange "my" new email with him. After Kyle emailed the target, he shut down the account. Ace monitored the public cameras, and attached a tiny microphone to my ear. It was covered by the hat I wore. I remembered my jittery nerves, and how I ran the plan through my head over and over again. Of course, I didn't show it. I shoved my hands into my hoodie pockets, and kept a passive look on my face as I leaned against the wall. It was almost time for him to show up, and I desperately hoped there would be no unwanted guests before the target got there. After all, I was standing in an alleyway after dark. That never ends well. A man with a hood covering his face comes into the alleyway holding a briefcase. I push myself off the wall. I quickly brush the knife sheath under my shirt for reassurance. The only light was the light shining down from the moon. _The moon before it changed._ I pressed "record" on the microphone, and started the mission. We stood in the middle of the alley. I took my stance in front of him, and Eric took his place at the other end of the alleyway. He was also armed. The target stared at me. And then he knew. He had been tricked. He quickly grabbed his briefcase and ran towards the end of the alleyway, where Eric stepped out of the shadows and in front of the target. Eric, shrouded in darkness, cast a long shadow down the alley. I stayed where I was, hand on the hilt of the knife. He and Eric talked, while I recorded it. In a panic, the target swung his briefcase at Eric, who, in turn, ducked and sweep kicked him. The man fell, but quickly scrambled away, clutching the briefcase. I walked up behind him, knife out of the sheath. My brothers had told me that people are extremely dangerous when in panic. They had learned it the hard way, and barely managed to hide the scar from Mom. The man stood up, and ran towards me. I was momentarily shocked and confused, but noticed the pocketknife in his hand. I held up my knife, but Eric tackled the man from behind, thus knocking him out. Eric called the police, leaving an anonymous message. I left the recording device for the police to discover, and ran back to the sewers with Eric.

_Liraz. Liraz? _

I lift my head up. "What?"

"We're pairing up. You're with that guy."

"Kill me _now_."


	12. Chapter 11

_Chapter 11_

Eric wiggled his fingers towards me. "When were you going to tell me?" I say. He shrugs. "I got bored sitting around at the apartment. I need to stay in shape." He grins. "Uh huh. Remember what I said about making me look bad in front of people. Respect. The dirt." He leans down close and says, "Don't play dumb. Be sharp. Ace and Kyle got a message from the Gang. They told me I should keep an eye on you. I'll show you the message later. But, for now, you'll have to help me. I have no idea what we're supposed to do."

"I turn into a weapon, and you try to wield me," I respond. "Anyway, how did you enroll so fast?"

He shrugs. "Mom jumped on the idea when I told her I wanted to attend. After all, you _know_ how protective she can be." He smiles wistfully. "For someone so concerned about our safety, I'm surprised she doesn't know a thing by now."

And so we continued the class in silence. After a while, I occasionally noticed that some girls kept glancing at Eric, and apparently he noticed them too. "Just ignore it. It happens all the time," He whispers. I roll my eyes and scoff.

Eric and I were leaning against a tree, not too far away from the school, but far enough so that no one could hear us if we talked normally. Even so, we didn't want to risk being overheard.

Eric was on his phone, texting Ace and Kyle. They sent the message, and after Eric read it, he handed the phone over to me.

We know where you are.

We know what you look like.

We are always watching.

Make one mistake, and it's over.

Checkmate.

I paled, and looked at Eric. A shadow obscured his face from view. "Is it really worth it?" He eventually says. He grabs a fistful of his hair. His face shifts from sadness to rage. "Why the hell aren't we doing anything? We're..._us_, for god's sake. Isn't there _something_ we could do to get us out of this mess?" I look up at him. He let go of his hair, and clenched his fists.

"Eric..." He shook with rage. I pushed myself off the tree. "We're in over our heads. Maybe we should confess, and the truth will eventually come out." I suggest.

"You're _wrong_, Liraz. Do you honestly think that they would make it that easy to escape? They made sure they twisted _everything_. If the police find us, we lose our _future._ We would have nothing left. We would be just another cautionary tale on the news. Just those idiotic children who think they could get away with anything. Well, Liraz, we aren't perfect. We're better than most, because we're cunning and strong. But just because we're strong, doesn't mean we have power. _Political _power. The Gang does. They're rich and corrupted. All we can do is hide in the sewers with our monitors and hacking skills. That won't be enough. We've gotten rid of criminals that committed _minor _crimes. You know that, right? They are criminal masterminds. I swear at least _one _of them has the local mafia leader's number. They don't even have to order them to do anything. Their connections could've heard of us, and are acting on their own, regardless of whether or not the Gang want them to. In fact, the Gang could be the least of our problems, but they are definitely at the center of it all."

"Stop it. Lower your voice. And, you said that all we can do is hide behind our monitors? You're _dead_ wrong. We are con artists, escape artists, masters of disguise, hackers, and we are cunning as hell. So, don't you _ever _give me that bullshit. What, you really think they're all that? They hide behind their money and power. We hide behind our own masks. And let me tell you, money can burn. Our masks can't burn, but they can be shattered. You can't break a mask with paper. We both have our weaknesses, but don't ever put yourself below your enemy. If you do, you're a coward. Even if you _are_ below them. Don't you remember? We don't ever call the criminals we neutralize 'enemies' or 'criminals'. We call them '_targets_'. And, this time, the Gang will be in the palm of our hands, dancing like puppets by _our _strings." _And then, we will be the ones with power. _

The bell rings. "I have class." I say. "Don't _ever _forget what I just said. Don't forget who you are. You're growing soft." I smirk, narrowing my eyes. "Negotiate and manipulate."

His expression changes from slight shock, to an identical smirk. "Yes...you're right. I _truly _hope that wasn't just cool talk. Don't lose yourself, _Mastermind_." I turn on my heel, and raise my hand in farewell.

"What an interesting conversation. Care to explain?"

My heart stopped in my chest, and the blood drained from my face.

I sat across from Professor Stein in his...house(?). I sipped at the tea he made. I kept a blank expression on my face. I was told I was really good at those. "How much did you hear?" I finally ask.

"All of it." He responds. "You're a criminal?"

I tilt my head to the side. "It depends how you look at it. We commit crimes to get closer to our targets."

"Who are your targets?" He sips his tea.

"People who commit crimes like jewelry store robberies, drug dealers...you get the idea." He pauses to think for a moment before saying, "Would you mind telling me the entire story?"

"Why do you want to know? Aren't you just going to rat me out to authorities? I mean, the school _is_ nicknamed the World's Police." I narrow my eyes, and sip at my tea. "You can't hide from authorities forever. He says. _Duh._

I set the teacup down. "My older brothers taught me how to stalk, hack, negotiate, blackmail, fight and many other skills. They started a tradition in which the oldest sibling teaches the younger the skills they developed over the first ten years of their life. On our tenth birthday, we are allowed to join in on missions. Missions are when we form an elaborate plan to put a criminal in jail. I've only been on four missions. Only on three of them did I personally intercept a target. The first one, I was in charge of hacking into the computers that control the public cameras around the area. The other two were the times I personally intercepted a target, and sent them to jail. All three were successful. The fourth was a trap from another group called the Gang. During the three years I went on missions, both the Gang and us received an anonymous message. We were to compete against everyone who had gotten the message in order to gain a reward. I don't know about the other people who had also gotten the message, but the Gang is malicious. They'd do anything to win, even if it cost the future of their competitors. They framed us for multiple crimes. The police are still investigating it, but when they find us, we'll all be in jail. Which is why we wear disguises."

I take off my hat. My long hair spills out, and I finger a strand of it. "My hair color is dirty blond, not red." I take my contact case out of my pocket and take my brown colored contacts out. "As you can see, my eyes are green, not brown. And all my brothers, except the youngest, dyed their hair and wear colored contacts. And the freckles are fake, by the way. I'm the only girl in my family, so, naturally, I specialize in makeup."

"You're saying you and your brothers are self proclaimed crime stoppers and your competitors took advantage of the crimes you had to commit to send you all to jail?" I nod. "Yeah." I shift in the seat. "One of them is attending DWMA."


End file.
